The Million-Dollar Heart

Vivienne mulled it over for a second, then said, "Well, it's not exactly like that. My mentor was the kind who'd perk up at the sight of a dollar bill, and now, I'm all about the cash, too. So, I need you to ink a new deal, Vance. You know my Mr. Wolf's unemployed at the moment, and I've got a household to run."

With that, she whipped out a fresh contract and laid it before Vance, the figures in it a whopping fifty percent higher than the previous one.

Without a moment's hesitation, Vance scribbled his signature on the dotted line.

Money was no object when it came to this lifesaving contract.

After closing the contract, Vance's expression regained its composure. "So, is this the reason Jasper called me over today?"

Jasper shook his head. "Of course not. This is a matter my granddaughter brought to you. As for me, I've got another issue to discuss."

Vance straightened up. "What's on your mind?"

"The ancient warrior lineage."

Vance's eyes flickered with disbelief.

Jasper himself hailed from the ancient warrior lineage, and the Perez family held a lofty position within the Vanguard Agency. It was surprising he would broach the topic with Vance, knowing full well that Vance had always wanted to kick the ancient warrior lineage out of the Agency.

"Surprised, huh?" Jasper chuckled. "I know you've got a bone to pick with the ancient warrior lineage, feeling that us old-timers are flexing our family muscles, stifling your special squad's operations, and botching many a mission."

Vance frowned, his gaze drifting over to Percival and Vivienne.

Great, those two were at it again, playing house.

One sipping coffee, the other pouring - living the life of Riley.

Vance had to drag his attention back. "Jasper, just lay your cards on the table."

Vance a freshly brewed cup of coffee. "Vance, Jasper here wants a

ancient warrior lineage out of

strolled over to his desk, speaking slowly. "I get why you want to push them out. Over time, their influence has grown massive,

knowing Vance's motives were not merely vengeful. "You want to restore peace to the

Jasper quietly, unsure where he was headed with

what happened with Noah,

a mole in the Vanguard Agency for nearly sixty years, that..." Vance stopped short, suddenly grasping Jasper's

Agency for six decades without anyone catching on? Like those ten children back in the day - he added two more, and

others on that

they not tell the difference between ten or twelve

was a fool. Without inside help, even with GTO cutting off its own tentacles

that even Yorick never

the ancient warrior lineage to seize power all these years without any of their kin by his side.

It dawned on Vance.

have been

GTO's mole, could it mean that someone

not help but break out in a cold

being hunted, and those hunters were from the ancient

I sensed someone was after

suspected for years that Ulysses had not perished when

had been investigating discreetly, using his position within the Vanguard Agency to his

Emerald Monastery, he would discover that someone was after Finnian's life. Knowing he was

Finnian had succumbed to illness, leaving behind nothing

from then on, no word came